For nearly 50 years, Jerry Kramer has been retired from pro football, with year after year of not being enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
This year, the five-time All-Pro guard and five-time NFL champion with the Lombardi-era Green Bay Packers is a step closer.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Senior Committee has chosen Kramer and former Houston Oilers linebacker Robert Brazile as its two candidates for the 2018 Hall of Fame class, according to voter Rick Gosselin.
Kramer has repeatedly been close to election, but has not gotten the nod.
His 11-year career has been filled with incredible accomplishments - not only the All-Pro nods, but the fact that he directly played massive roles in winning two of the Packers' five NFL titles.
In 1962, Kramer filled in for injured Paul Hornung as a kicker, and his 10 points on field goals and an extra point were the difference in a 16-7 NFL Title Game win over the New York Giants.
In the 1967 NFL Title Game - the Ice Bowl - Kramer drive into the chest of Cowboys defensive tackle Jethro Pugh made it easy for Bart Starr to sneak into the end zone with 16 seconds (and no time outs) left to give Green Bay a 21-17 win over Dallas and an unsurpassed third NFL title.
